*NEW YEAR'S EVE ICE SKATING*

Angie and Trey asked the girls and I to go ice skating. I debated on bringing Maren, thinking Alexa would need my help just as much as Maren did. At the last second I decided to bring both of the girls and I am glad I did. They both did great. Alexa fell a million times, but kept getting right up and trying again. By the end of it she had it down. Maren was great - did I mention it was her first time ever. She just needed to hold my hand to help balance, but besides that she just kept on going. As we skated she would scream "Go faster, Mommy!" Trey did great as well. It was his first time ever doing the skating thing. He decided to sit out after awhile, but had the perfect attitude about it. It was so much fun!

*ROLLIE'S FIRST HAIR CUT*

Rollie got her first hair cut today. I loved it for the simple fact that it will help her to keep cleaner. However the girls and Jay didn't care for it as much.

*CHRISTMAS INTERVIEW*

The girls had a great Christmas. They got so many wonderful gifts to enjoy. Thank you everyone!

Comment on Maren's song. She had to listen to Alexa play it over and over to practice for her piano recital. It's only natural that it's her favorite Christmas song now.

*CHRISTMAS 2009!*

This year Jay and I woke up at 3:00AM to two little girls eager to open Christmas presents. This is the first year they woke up this early. Of course we said no and had them climb into bed with us for the rest of the night.
The next morning we all woke up and went downstairs to see if Santa came. Of course the girls already knew he had since they had already explored all of the presents, but we still looked at the cookies and milk to find that they were gone and a note was left by the big guy.
Next we started in on stockings and then onto the presents. Maren asked for princess dresses and got three: Snow White, Tinker Bell and then a pretty pink princess dress with gold stars. Alexa really wanted rockband. After opening presents she opened a Wii game of Rockband 2, but there weren't any instruments. We thought maybe Santa forgot them, but then Alexa found the instruments hidden under the dining room table. That tricky Santa!
Later that morning Grandma Adams came over to eat breakfast. We had plans to go over to Grandma and Grandpa Burhans, but we got the most beautiful Christmas snow that kept us in, so we planned to go there later that weekend. Later that evening though we did make it over to Aunt Angies and Uncle Greg's for prime rib!

*CHRISTMAS EVE*

The girls woke up excited to go to Grandma Marilyn's. They had fun opening presents from Aunt Rachel and Grandma Marilyn. Maren got the new Uno Moo and Alexa got the new came Clue. Together they got a bunch of cute bracelets and finger nail polishes. Aunt Rachel got them a gift card to Great Wolf Lodge, which they have always wanted to go too.
After having fun at Grandma's we came home and got ready for church. All of the Adams' family was there, so the girls got to sit with their cousins. At the end of the service the lights went out and everyone got to light their own candle. Maren really loved that part.
Afterwards we had to go to our car in an ice storm. The ice was just hitting us as we ran to our car. We couldn't even look up.
Then we ate dinner at the Melting Pot, which is on of the girls' favorite places to eat. I think they love the dessert!
After we got home we got our pj's Grandma Adams made for the girls on, set our cookies and milk out for Santa, said goodbye to Eddie the Elf and tucked the girls in Alexa's bed. Maren refused to go to sleep, but after I told her I would sleep with them in Alexa's bed, she finally settled down.....

*CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FROM GRANDPARENT HAUK'S*

Unfortunately, Grandma and Grandpa Hauk couldn't make it up this year. However, they were able to send their presents. The girls enjoyed opening all of them. It was an early Christmas treat. They did love their presents and were surprised when they showed up!

*ALEXA'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PARTY*

The brownies had a cookie party where they all brought cookies and exchanged them. After eating all that sugar, all of the girls were pretty wound up!

*MERRY CHRISTMAS*

*ALEXA'S 1ST PIANO RECITAL*

She did great too! They started with the newer ones first, so she was second on the list to go. She played Bugle Boy and Jolly Old St. Nick. A ton of people came out to watch her play. Jay, myself, Maren, Aunt Shirley, Grandpa and Grandma Burhans, Aunt Angie, Uncle Greg, Michael, Trey, Grandma Norma, and Aunt Erin. The last picture is of her music teacher Dave Simmons.

*BREAKFAST WITH SANTA AT TREX*

We met the Sweeney's and Smykay's for breakfast at T-Rex for breakfast with Santa. Santa swam with the sharks in T-Rex's huge fish tank while we ate. Then after breakfast we all went to sit on Santa's lap. While we waited the kids got to dig for bones.